Greenland Connect: Submarine Cable Linking Greenland, Iceland, and Canada
Greenland Connect is a submarine telecommunications cable owned by Tusass A/S that connects Greenland, Iceland, and Canada. Spanning approximately 4,580 kilometers, it serves as a key link for internet and data connectivity across the North Atlantic region. The cable has landing points in
Nuuk and
Qaqortoq (Greenland),
Landeyjar (Iceland), and
Milton (Canada). It has been listed as in service since 2009, according to GeoCables records.
What makes Greenland Connect notable is its role in connecting remote and sparsely populated Greenland to the global internet infrastructure. However, several technical details about the cable, including its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology, are not publicly disclosed. This lack of transparency leaves room for speculation but underscores the importance of relying on verified data for analysis.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Greenland Connect |
| Length | 4,580 km |
| Ready for service | 2009 (GeoCables database value) |
| Owner | Tusass A/S |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Landeyjar (Iceland); Milton (Canada); Nuuk (Greenland); Qaqortoq (Greenland) |
Route
Greenland Connect links four landing points: Landeyjar in Iceland, Milton in Canada, and Nuuk and Qaqortoq in Greenland. The route crosses the North Atlantic, connecting Greenland's southern and western coasts to Iceland and onward to Canada. Landeyjar is also a landing site for the
DANICE cable, while Nuuk connects to
Greenland Connect North, which extends connectivity further north in Greenland. These interconnections enhance the region's network resilience.
The choice of landing points reflects strategic considerations: Nuuk is Greenland's capital and largest city, Qaqortoq is a key settlement in southern Greenland, Landeyjar connects to Iceland's broader infrastructure, and Milton provides access to Canada's telecommunications network.
Why it was built and what it carries
Greenland Connect was built to address Greenland's need for reliable, high-capacity telecommunications infrastructure. Before its deployment, Greenland relied heavily on satellite connectivity, which is prone to latency and bandwidth limitations. The submarine cable provides a faster and more stable alternative, supporting internet, voice, and data services for both residential and commercial users.
The cable also facilitates international connectivity for Iceland and Canada, serving as a critical link in the North Atlantic region's telecommunications network. Tusass A/S, the cable's owner, likely uses it to support Greenland's growing demand for digital services, including education, healthcare, and remote work capabilities.
History: what can be established
Greenland Connect was recorded as ready for service in 2009 in the GeoCables database. Publicly available sources do not indicate any conflicting dates, though industry sources occasionally report discrepancies in cable commissioning timelines. If alternative dates exist, they could stem from delays in operational readiness, phased activation of landing points, or differences in reporting standards.
Tusass A/S, formerly known as TELE Greenland, has been instrumental in modernizing Greenland's telecommunications infrastructure, and Greenland Connect represents a significant milestone in these efforts.
Capacity and technology
The design capacity of Greenland Connect is not publicly disclosed, nor are details about its fiber pair count, supplier, or specific technologies used. Without operator documentation, attributing these parameters would be speculative. However, as a modern submarine cable, it likely employs dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology to maximize data throughput.
Given its role in connecting Greenland to international networks, Greenland Connect is presumed to have sufficient capacity to meet current and foreseeable demand. However, the lack of publicly available technical specifications makes it difficult to assess its scalability.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way light propagation latency over Greenland Connect's 4,580 km wet segment is approximately 22.5 milliseconds, with a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 44.9 milliseconds. These values are based on the speed of light in fiber, which ranges from 200,000 to 204,000 km/s.
Live measurements from remote probes show significantly higher RTTs, with Landeyjar to Milton ranging from a minimum of 103.3 ms to an average of 110.5 ms, and Milton to Landeyjar ranging from 143.0 ms to an average of 172.4 ms. These discrepancies reflect additional latency introduced by land tails, terminal equipment, and routing inefficiencies along the full internet path.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
If Greenland Connect experiences a fault, redundancy is partially provided by other cables in the region. Landeyjar is also a landing point for the DANICE cable, which connects Iceland to Denmark. Nuuk connects to Greenland Connect North, which extends connectivity further north in Greenland. These cables could reroute traffic in the event of an outage, though the extent of redundancy depends on the specific fault location and network configuration.
Repairing submarine cables typically involves deploying specialized cable-laying and repair vessels, which locate the fault, retrieve the damaged section, and replace or splice it. Repairs in the North Atlantic may be complicated by harsh weather conditions and remote locations.
Bottom line
- Greenland Connect spans 4,580 km and connects Greenland, Iceland, and Canada.
- Owned by Tusass A/S and listed as in service since 2009.
- Landing points: Landeyjar (Iceland), Milton (Canada), Nuuk (Greenland), Qaqortoq (Greenland).
- Design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
- Computed RTT floor ≈ 44.9 ms; live measurements show higher RTTs due to additional network factors.
- Redundancy provided by cables like DANICE and Greenland Connect North.